Buying a piano is a serious decision. It is not unusual for someone to question this potential purchase. Shelling out thousands and thousands of dollars for a new instrument is no easy task.
Purchasing a piano is like deciding to buy a new car or a new home. We often spend a great deal of time preparing a list of reasons before securing that necessary purchase. These reasons can have a positive effect on your purchasing decision.
We want to help you make the right decision by proposing several convincing reasons you need to answer before buying a new piano.
It’s worth buying a piano if:
- Learning the piano for over 3 years
- Desiring to own a part of music history
- Buying a high-quality piano
It’s not worth buying a piano if:
- Not utilizing the piano daily
- Constantly on the move
- Recently started learning piano
We have created two sections, listing three reasons in each. Go through each section and read each description carefully. The first section contains a list of reasons why it is worth buying a piano, and the second section includes a list of reasons why it is not worth it.
If you can agree with most reasons in the green box: “It’s worth buying a piano”, then you might be ready to purchase a piano.
If you find yourself agreeing with one or more in the red box: “It’s not worth buying a piano”, then you might not be ready just yet.
If you are not yet sure of your decision, we have expanded on each reason down below.
You’ve been learning the piano for more than 3 years.

If you have been learning to play the piano or take piano lessons for at least three years, perhaps it is time to buy a piano.
If you or a family member is still learning the piano for more than three years, it might be time for an upgrade. Three years of piano lessons/learning is an important benchmark. This benchmark signals that you are well-positioned for the long term, and the purchase of a piano will be worthwhile.
We base this statement on two central references from a study on piano students and dropout rates.
“Majority of adults who quit the piano stopped lessons for only three years or less.”
“Most of the remaining adults who still play piano continue to take piano lessons beyond three years.”
The first three years are crucial for determining whether most people continue to learn the piano and those who stop. According to further research, the majority will completely abandon the learning process in less than a year.
Before spending thousands of dollars, continue learning the piano on a piano keyboard, and watch what happens after three years. If you feel somewhat discouraged, don’t be. When the appropriate time comes, you’ll be using that new piano for years to come.
Owning a classical part of music history.

Buying a piano is worth it because you get to own a classical piece of music history.
The piano features a rich and deep history like no other instrument in the world. When you gaze upon that new piano in your home, you’re witnessing centuries and decades of classical works and masterpieces.
The piano has stood the test of time. Since its invention in the early 17th century, the piano has gained popularity throughout many generations. Around the globe, countless pianists are striving to learn this beautiful instrument with every passing year.
Fun Fact: The oldest piano in the world is currently sitting in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Why not own an instrument to which many famous composers have dedicated their lives? World-renowned composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Schubert, etc. These brilliant individuals have created some of the most famous works of art in human history on the piano.
Famous piano composers over the years:
- Ludwig van Beethoven
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Frederic Chopin
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Johannes Brahms
- Claude Debussy
- Pyotr Tchaikovsky
- Joseph Haydn
- Franz Schubert
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Sergei Rachmaninoff
There is something magical about sitting in front of the piano and playing a famous composer’s masterpiece. It is worth the money if it allows you to sit at your piano and experience the same feeling every time. The piano is a fantastic instrument with many exciting facets!
Owning a small part of piano history is going to be special.
Buying a high-quality piano.

The purchase of a high-quality piano depends on the piano maker (brand), the quality of the sound production, and the piano’s condition.
Consider these questions when assessing the quality:
Is it in excellent condition? Is the sound quality pleasant to the ear when pressing the keys? Is the piano brand recognized in the industry?
Just because two pianos appear the same does not automatically mean they sound the same. Whether the piano is an upright or a baby grand, they all share the same methodology regarding care and attention. For example, pianos need to be tuned yearly and maintained in optimal conditions. A piano properly maintained produces a euphonious sound.
It is essential to examine different piano brands on the market before you buy one yourself. One of the best places to learn more about other piano brands is from a certified piano dealer with an extensive catalog. These dealers are in tune with different brands on the market, and they have consistently dealt with clients who are interested in a new piano.
Top piano-maker brands:
- Yamaha
- Boston
- Steinway & Sons
- Stuart and Sons
- Bechstein
- Kawai
- Fazioli
- Baldwin
- Casio (digital piano/keyboard)
- Roland (digital piano/keyboard)
You can probably find a cheaper piano on Craigslist. Possibly even free! Free is not always free, though. Buying a piano from a private website, including Craigslist, carries some risk. Most of these pianos need extra care and attention.
Tip: If you want to go down this route, you should be willing to hire a piano technician and have him examine the piano before buying a particular piano from a private seller.
Not utilizing the piano daily.

It’s not worth buying a piano if you’re not going to use the piano daily.
Unless you’re a piano collector or an interior designer, we won’t buy a piano to stare at it. Sure, the piano is a beautiful instrument that will attract eyeballs from you and your visitors. There are occasional instances where wealthy people buy a famous/well-known piano to improve their social status.
But that’s probably not why you’re here. You are here to draw a rational conclusion about buying a new piano. One of the elements that should lead up to this conclusion is, “will you pick up the piano more often?”. Yes, we mentioned that it is probably not worth buying a piano unless you use it every day.
Again, that’s merely a recommendation. Even using the piano a few times per week for practice or self-teaching is enough to warrant a purchase.
You shouldn’t be the person who wastes their hard-earned money buying things they won’t use later. We buy fancy fitness equipment, high-quality dishes, furniture, expensive clothes, only to return them a few months later.
We were hoping you could buy a new piano and make the most of it.
Always on the move.

It would not be advantageous to own a piano if you were always on the move.
The structure of the piano is cumbersome and heavy, consisting of heavy parts/pieces. The construction of the piano is supported together by these solid pieces to form a powerful instrument. Depending on the type and model of the piano, all this can add to a considerable weight.
For example, grand pianos can weigh over 1,000 pounds, while upright pianos can weigh between 400-800 pounds. These are massive instruments!
Standard weights of upright pianos:
Piano Type | Average Weight |
---|---|
Spinet | 400 lbs. |
Console | 450 lbs. |
Studio | 500 lbs. |
Full Upright | 600-800 lbs. |
Standard weights of grand pianos:
Piano Type | Average Weight |
---|---|
Baby Grand | 550 lbs. |
Medium Grand | 600 lbs. |
Large Grand | 650-850 lbs. |
Concert Grand | 900-1,200 lbs. |
Imagine yourself hauling and dragging this type of weight and mass around with you whenever you need to move. It doesn’t make sense. Don’t mention the cost and the maintenance that comes with moving a piano as well. It’s just not worth it!
If you’re always on the go, we recommend buying a smaller, lighter piano keyboard instead. It’s merely easier to disassemble the keyboard and place it in a protective case whenever it’s necessary.
Popular Piano Keyboards on Amazon
Piano Keyboard | Weight | Dimensions | |
---|---|---|---|
Alesis Melody 61 MKII – 61 Key Portable Keyboard | 9 lbs. | 37.2″ x 12.36″ x 4.08″ | (View on Amazon) |
Yamaha YPT260 61-Key Portable Keyboard | 13 lbs. | 42.1″ x 16.9″ x 6.6″ | (view on Amazon) |
Alesis Recital 88-Key Digital Piano Keyboard | 16 lbs. | 50.52″ x 11.52″ x 3.6″ | (view on Amazon) |
Casio CTK2550 61-Key Piano Keyboard | 19 lbs. | 44″ x 15″ x 9″ | (view on Amazon) |
RockJam 61-Key Piano Keyboard | 20 lbs. | 35.4″ x 9.8″ x 5.9″ | (view on Amazon) |
Yamaha P71 88-Key Digital Piano | 25 lbs. | 58.2″ x 16.1″ x 11.7″ | (view on Amazon) |
We all present a unique lifestyle that may require some to move more frequently than others. Frequent relocations may be due to the nature of certain professions, including teachers or management consultants. That’s perfectly okay. Some of you may enjoy this type of work and enjoy the travel that comes with the job. Together, under whatever circumstances, the passion for the piano lives in all of us.
But for now, it wouldn’t make sense to purchase a piano.
You recently started learning the piano.

If you are a beginner with less than three years of a learning experience, it may not be worth spending the money on a piano.
Why should you buy an expensive piano so early?
What if one of your kids decides that learning the piano isn’t all that appealing anymore?
“Most young people quit learning the piano before the age of 14.”
Possibly, you may have lost interest in learning the piano yourself. Now you own a piano that nobody practices on, and you’re scrambling to sell the same piano. Not worth the headache! We are not trying to sound pessimistic. Instead, we’re trying to save you a significant amount of time and money. With that being said, wait and see where it goes.
Instead, we recommend buying an affordable piano keyboard at the beginning. If you or a family member are learning the piano or taking piano lessons, a high-quality piano keyboard should be sufficient for home use.
Bonus Tip: It is just as useful to practice piano lessons at home on a piano keyboard.
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